


The Mockingbird and the Spider

by slytherinintj13



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, Asexuality Spectrum, AspecFandomChallenge2019, Boys Kissing, Canon Universe, Coming Out, Demisexuality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Essos, Eventual Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, Not Beta Read, One Shot, Partial Nudity, Sharing a Bed, Trope Inversion, Trope Subversion/Inversion, Westeros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 09:37:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21177293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherinintj13/pseuds/slytherinintj13
Summary: This takes place in 1x10, after Petyr Baelish tells Varys that his brothel "caters to all inclinations." Varys shows up at the brothel, surprising Littlefinger, and, what's even more shocking is that he isn't there for sex. Ever-curious, Petyr wants to know why Varys came to the brothel, and the outcome is a shared moment of rare vulnerability, leading them to find comfort in each other.





	The Mockingbird and the Spider

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a different side to these characters, but I think they seem a little ooc, sorry, I've never written for GoT before. Also, despite this taking place in the canon-verse (and a brothel) there is no gore and there is no smut or anything beyond the mention of nudity. I hope you like it! <3

It was rather late at night, and Petyr Baelish was going about his business, setting people up with employees he knew would please them and whatnot, when a new client entered the brothel. This itself wasn’t odd by any means; Littlefinger’s establishments were busy at all hours of the day, but what was odd was that the person who’d just entered was none other than Lord Varys himself. Petyr recalled his comments from earlier, about how his establishments cater to all inclinations, but he never thought Varys would actually show. For all he knew, the eunuch had no sexual drive at all.  _ Perhaps I was wrong _ , Petyr thought.

“So,” he said, turning to Varys. “As you can see, I offer a side selection of whores, all of whom are very good at what they do. Although, I have a feeling you may only be interested in the males, which narrows the possibilities ever so slightly…” he trailed off.

Suddenly, Varys looked up, locking his violet eyes with Petyr’s greyish-green ones. “Did you mean what you said earlier?” he asked.

“Which part?” Petyr replied, furrowing his brows slightly. 

“When you said you cater to  _ all _ inclinations.”

Petyr blinked, surprised, but he quickly recovered. “Well, yes; I’ve found some clients have strange preferences, and in turn, you’ll find that I am not one to deny my clients. For the right price that is,” he said. He kept his face stoic, but on the inside, Petyr was wondering just what is it that Varys felt the need to be so cautious about. 

Petyr had served all types of men and women in his brothels, some of whom had desires so twisted, even he was disgusted, and none of them had felt the need to be as cautious as Varys was now. It wasn’t just the question that tipped Petyr off. It was the way he held himself, less sure of himself than usual, and the way his eyes were just a touch wider. Even the air around him seemed to hum with nervous energy so thick it was nearly palpable.

“In that case,” Varys said, interrupting his thoughts, “I think I’ll be spending the night here.”

“Excellent.” With a smirk on his face and laughing eyes, Petyr swept his hand out, gesturing to a hallway. 

* * *

“So, who will it be?” Petyr asked as he led Varys down the hallway. “I’ve got Ros over there, and--” 

“No, none of them,” Varys interrupted. 

“That’s perfectly alright, I also have--” Petyr barreled on, only to be interrupted once more. 

“I don’t think any of your standard, or even your popular, investments will be able to do what I desire,” Varys said sadly.

Petyr ignored the melancholic tone, jumping to the defense of his workers. “I assure you, everyone I employ is more than capable of doing anything you ask,” he said. 

“And what if it is not sex I’m asking for?” Varys asked. 

Petyr paused outside an empty room. “Then why are you here? Surely not for the pleasure of my company, I’m sure. If you’ve only come to waste my time, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“No, I do still want something from your business, just not sex.”

“Well? What is it?” Petyr snapped, having had enough of this. There were other clients he had to tend to, after all. 

“For starters, I need someone fully clothed. Secondly, I’m going to need a clean bed, not something like the sofas you keep out there,” Varys said, gesturing to the lounge spaces back down the hall at the entrance of the brothel. 

“I see,” Petyr nodded, even though he did not see. Not at all.

He led Varys to a room further down the hall, one that was dimly lit and unoccupied. Unlike the other rooms, this one was unadorned. In fact, it was quite tidy. “It is always smart to have a spare room,” Petyr explained when he noticed Varys looking around. “Now, you can wait here, and I will send in a few of my more reserved employees.” With that, Petyr turned on his heel and exited the room. 

Moments later, four males and two females entered the room. “So,” one of the women said, twirling a lock of auburn hair around her finger. “What can we do for you, Lord Varys?” 

A man with wite-blonde hair and pale skin stepped forward, close to Varys’ shoulder. “Yes, what can we do for you?” he repeated. Varys looked around at all of them, and he shook his head. This would not do; he could practically feel sex in the air around them, and it made him feel sick. 

“Nothing,” he shook his head again. “Just go.” When none of them left, he looked up with teary eyes and said “please just go; I don’t want this.” Then, they left. He wiped his eyes so no one else would see, but it seemed he was too late, for Petyr stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. 

“Were my workers not to your liking?” Petyr asked, frowning. He’d seen many strange things, but rejection--especially before service--was new to him. Varys sighed but said nothing, and Petyr would never admit it, but seeing his so distraught was somewhat unsettling. This was the only man who could match his wit and intelligence as well as play the game so tactically. The only one with whom he could partake in snarky and somewhat playful banter. To see him so vulnerable reminded Baelish that he, too, was only a man. A man with weaknesses, not immune to pain and death, no matter how much he willed himself to be or told himself it was true. 

“I’ll just be going,” Varys said abruptly, standing and making to leave, but Petyr blocked the doorway. 

“Not yet,” he said. “For the purpose of my business, I need to know what transpired here.” He stood staring at Varys, caught in a battle of wills, until the other man returned to the bed and sat down glumly. 

“Nothing happened,” Varys said.

“Then why are you dissatisfied?”

“I’m afraid no one could understand.”

“You’d be surprised,” Petyr quipped.

Hesitantly, Varys looked into his eyes before looking elsewhere, eyes darting around the room. “I just want to lie with somebody,” he said.

“Well, yes, that is what brothels are for.”

“You misunderstand me, I’m afraid. I wish to lie with someone, but I do not wish to have sex with them. I only want a person with me as I sleep, and perhaps kiss, too. Someone who will just be there but won’t demand anything of me or think I’m going to demand anything of them.”

Slowly, it dawned of Petyr. Varys wanted human contact but not in a sexual way. There weren’t many people like that, but it wasn’t unheard of. In fact, in some ways, Petyr could relate. While he wasn’t averse to sex, he’d only ever truly desired it with one person: Catleyn Stark. But that was a long time ago, and he’d moved on. 

In a moment of weakness, Petyr allowed himself to be vulnerable and walked over to the bed to sit beside Varys. “I think I understand,” he said. 

Varys turned to him, surprised. “Then you understand. I can’t simply ask people to share my bed without other ideas coming to mind. Not to mention the way the public would see it.”

“I do,” Littlefinger nodded. He suddenly realized that he’d subconsciously moved closer to Varys as he spoke, and they were now sitting so close that their knees touched. Varys stood to go, and Petyr didn’t know why he did it, but he grabbed the other man’s wrist, pulling him back. “You said you like to kiss?” he inquired shakily, searching Varys’ eyes.

“Sometimes,” Varys said.

“What about right now?”

“I think… I think I’d like that.”

Slowly, Petyr brought a hand to Varys’ neck and leaned in. Their lips connected, and he found he didn’t want to stop. From the way things were going, neither did Varys. Petyr maneuvered them onto the bed properly and continued to explore Varys’ mouth before moving to kiss his neck. “Is this alright?” he asked after Varys whimpered slightly. 

“Yes,” he moaned. “In fact, I’d like to continue, but I have two conditions.”

“And what might those be?”

“One, no bruises above the neckline. Two, pants stay on.”

“Fair enough,” Petyr smirked playfully, fiddling with the hem of Varys’ shirt. “But everything else is fair game?”

“For now,” Varys replied, only to be shut up by Petyr’s mouth on his once more. “I do have one question,” he said between kisses. 

“Hm?” 

“Are you sure no one is going to come in even though there is no curtain or door blocking the entrance?”

“Yes?”

How do you know?”

“Because,” he smirked. “This is one of my rooms.” Both men chuckled at that, and continued to kiss each other as their hands roamed. Eventually, they dozed off, tangled in each other’s arms, content. 

* * *

The next morning, they would pretend nothing had happened, and each would vow this was never going to happen again. However, as most matters of the heart do, this one would continue, and the two men would be regular bedfellows who meant something to each other. As it turned out, both Petyr Baelish and Varys would be glad Varys had come to the brothel that night.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading; please let me know what you think!


End file.
